


Once in a while

by Marrie_L



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, alternative universe, dog!Oliver, mop!Oliver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 15:29:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6084996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marrie_L/pseuds/Marrie_L
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Every once in a while a dog enters your life and changes everything</i>
</p><p>Percy's life is completely turned upside down when Penny shows up with a very special housemate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once in a while

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amicitia_fortior](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amicitia_fortior/gifts).



> Happy birthday sweetheart!!!!!

“WHAT is that?” Percy asked Penny with a nod at something that looked like a mop. Penny sighed. “Not what, who. This is Oliver.” The thing started to move and with some imagination Percy recognized it as a dog. Oliver, as it was called apparently, started to jump, trying to get some attention. Percy ignored it.

“And what is _Oliver_ doing here in my house?” he asked Penny. She smiled, like this whole situation wasn’t really interesting and she hadn’t brought a dog to him. He didn’t even like dogs!

“Well,” she started and then a long story came. A friend of the neighbor of her uncle had a girlfriend and she turned out to be allergic to dogs, but he wanted to marry her and the only way it would be possible to have her live in the same house as he did, was when he got rid of Oliver. But of course it wasn’t possible to find a good place for it – of course not, Percy thought, who would take a mop as pet? – so eventually it got to live with Penny.

“And why is it here then?” he asked skeptical. He didn’t like the way Penny looked at him and his house.

“You know I live in a flat on the seventh floor with just enough space for me right? You really think I could have a dog there? And-” She hesitated and Percy raised an eyebrow. He knew exactly where this was going. “You live in a huge villa with a lot of place for a dog. I mean, look outside! Everything you see is yours! So can Oliver please stay here until I’ll find a new owner?”

When she finished talking, she looked relieved. Speaking those words had been harder for her than she wanted to admit.

Before Percy could answer, she started talking again however. She probably suspected he wasn’t really keen on the idea – and she was right. He didn’t want to take that animal in his house, even for a couple of weeks.

“He’s really friendly and well trained. He doesn’t make much sound and as long as you give him food and give him the space outside to run, you won’t even notice he’s here!” Exactly that moment Oliver decided to bark, so her argument that it didn’t make a lot of sound was pointless.

“Penny! It’s. A. Dog,” he said, emphasizing every word. “If I had wanted a dog, I would have taken one. So no, I don’t want it.”

Penny didn’t even look disappointed, but more like she had expected this answer. “Percy,” she said. “Why don’t you want to help me out? I’ll pay for his food and all you have to do is feed him and give him space. Remember that time you had to babysit James and Albus, and you have dumped them at my place? Well, now I’m doing exactly the same. You take care of Oliver. End of discussion.”

She definitely had a point and she knew it. Percy had used her – more than once – to babysit his nephews, so actually it was only fair she wanted him to babysit now. But did he really need to babysit a dog?

“Well, when that is settled: his stuff is already in your kitchen. Bye Percy.” She just walked away, leaving him stunned in his living room. His brain couldn’t follow everything that just happened. How had he become owner of a dog? He didn’t even like dogs!

Oliver didn’t seem to have a big problem with his moving and started to explore the place. In the night things changed however. Percy had locked Oliver so he would have a good sleep, but his plan didn’t work. The whole night Oliver kept howling and barking, and Percy didn’t got any sleep at all.

The next day he did two things: first he called Penny to complain about Oliver’s howling (“His previous owner let him sleep on the bed.” “Penny, I’m NOT gonna let that mop sleep in my bed!”) , and second he bought a litter box. He knew it was officially for cats, but he was sure he could learn Oliver to use it too.

A week without sleep passed. Oliver actually understood the litter box really fast, but kept howling in the night. It was getting a little bit better now he was allowed to stay in the living room. He had shown he wasn’t planning on demolishing the whole house and that was awarded with freedom.

Not having slept for a week made Percy really grumpy. Luckily for him he hadn’t had any close deadlines to fulfill, so it didn’t matter he couldn’t stay awake. He was a famous writer who actually needed to write the final book of his series, but the last week he hadn’t written a word.

 When Oliver once again started howling in the night, Percy was done with it and opened the door. He didn’t even care about all those hairs in his bed. He just wanted to sleep.

Oliver walked in and jumped happily on the bed, where he curled up and immediately fell asleep.

“Stupid dog,” Percy mumbled before he fell asleep.

The next day he was woken up by a cold nose that was pressed against his cheek. He yawned and looked into Oliver’s eyes, who seemed really glad Percy was awake and ran away to get his toy.

Now Percy had finally slept, everything seemed a little better and before he made himself breakfast he actually played with Oliver. It wasn’t that bad.

It wasn’t raining and there was a beautiful sun, so he brought his laptop, a chair and some coffee outside and started typing. Oliver was running though the grass and seemed to chase a bee. After a while, Percy realized he was just watching Oliver instead of working, so he quickly started again. Unfortunately for his work Oliver had found an old ball and gave it to Percy. After that he sat down and waited. Percy tried to ignore him, but that was impossible, so he took it and threw it away. Oliver immediately followed it.

“Give it here, Oliver,” he told the dog when he had returned. “I can’t throw it if you keep it. You’re not that smart, are you?”

 

Another week had passed. Oliver still slept with Percy and for some reason he didn’t mind anymore. The body of Oliver on his feet had something comforting.

“Percy! I’ve found a new owner for Oliver! He won’t annoy you any longer.” Penny didn’t even say hello when Percy opened the door.

“Oh great,” he said smiling but it was harder than he thought. How could smiling be difficult? He’d never wanted Oliver anyway, so now he would finally be alone again.

“He can stay with me tonight and then I’ll bring him to his new owner tomorrow,” Penny told him after they had packed all his stuff. Oliver had liked  it. He thought they were going to play with him.

Just before they were leaving, Percy got on his knees and stroked Oliver. “Be a good boy, okay?” he whispered. Then he watched how Penny walked away with Oliver.

 

He didn’t sleep that night. He missed a warm body and the comforting presence of the little dog. He even missed Oliver’s snoring. Even though he had slept alone for years, there was something wrong now. It just wasn’t okay.

The whole morning he felt guilty. What if Oliver didn’t like his new owner? Or he wouldn’t be allowed to sleep with his new owner? He couldn’t be alone! How could he ever let Oliver go? He was an idiot!

He didn’t do anything about it. He just felt bad about himself.

Only when he almost tripped over something, he realized he had to do something. The thing that had almost floored him was a ball. The same ball Oliver liked to play with. He needed Oliver here, he finally realized. He wanted him back.

He called Penny. _Don’t be too hopeful,_ he told himself. _You’re just going to be disappointed._ First nobody answered the phone. Of course not. Penny was probably already on her way to drop off Oliver. Just when he realized it was pointless, Penny answered. Now he really had to say something, he had no idea what. He hadn’t thought out his plan this far.

“Well, eh, is Oliver still here?” he asked after almost a minute of silence. It was a miracle Penny hadn’t hung up.

“Yes, we were just leaving.” He kept silent. Of course they were leaving. It was too late. “Is there something wrong?”

“Yes. No. No, not at all,” he quickly answered. It was just a dog! “I just found his favorite ball and he can’t leave without it.” Hopefully this was enough explanation for her.

Even though he couldn’t see her face, he knew she was smiling. “You miss him,” she said.

“Well, maybe,” he reluctantly answered. Now he really knew she was smiling.

“Look outside,” she finally said. He had no idea why, but he did it. There she stood, with a huge grin, and next to her was a little dog, better known as Oliver. She had a phone in her hand.

“You really thought I was going to take Oliver away from you? Come outside. Oliver wants to greet you.”


End file.
